1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to measuring devices, and more particularly to devices which measure quantities of free-flowing material, and dispense discreet volumes of this material.
2. Background Information
There are innumerable free-flowing granular solids which are utilized in the home and in industry for a variety of purposes. These free-flowing solids can include powdered or granular chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, rice and other grain foods, nutritional additives, foods such as salt, sugar, pepper, spices, and compounds such as cement, gravel, sand and dirt. All of these free-flowing solids are measured in a variety of ways, from measuring spoons for salt and sugar, to scoops, shovels, wheelbarrows, pinches and handfuls.
There are a number of devices which allow for measuring and dispensing discreet quantities of these free-flowing solids. Typical of such devices are specially constructed soap containers. These containers are rectangular boxes with dividing chambers in one end of a box. The dividing chambers form a measuring chamber and a dispensing channel which opens to the outside of the box. The box is inverted, and dry material flows into the measuring chamber. When the box is set upright again, a quantity of soap or other material is left residing in the measuring chamber. When the box is inverted the second time, the material in the measuring chamber flows out the dispensing channel and out the box. At the same time, a new quantity of material refills the measuring chamber. A number of such configurations exist, and their use is well known. There are many variations on this idea, most involving rectangular chambers, and all of them involving inverting the container, setting it upright, and then inverting it a second time for dispensing materials. This configuration of device is particularly well suited to a material such as a powdered laundry product, which is convenient to store in a rectangular box. However, many other dry materials are not conveniently stored in a rectangular box, and if they were placed in a box, inverting the box full of material and setting it upright again would be inconvenient. For instance, fertilizers and pesticides typically come in a paper sack or bag. The bag is cut open and the material poured into a dispenser, such as a fertilizer spreader, or merely sprinkled from the sack to the place of application on the ground. It would be inconvenient to pour the fertilizer or pesticide into a large rectangular box and then to carry the box around a yard or garden, inverting it and setting it upright at every place where fertilizer or pesticide was to be applied. A more convenient method of application would be preferred. Other dry free-flowing materials generally come in a cylindrical container, such as spices, salt and pepper. A measuring and dispensing device which fits on these cylindrical containers would be preferable than having to pour these materials into a rectangular container for dispensing.
There are also many liquids which need to be measured and dispensed conveniently. These include liquid bleach, chlorine solution for use in pools and spas, foods such as soy sauce and vinegar, liquid fertilizer, liquid feed supplement, liquid solutions in manufacturing, and many others.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a measuring and dispensing device which is mountable in a cylindrical or tubular section and which does not require inversion of this tubular section.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a tubular measuring and dispensing device which mounts on existing containers, such as cylindrical containers with threads for snap on lids.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispensing and measuring device in which the volume being dispensed can be adjusted and thus provides a variable dispensed volume.
Another object of the invention is to provide a measuring device which measures and dispenses free-flowing material by rotation of the tubular measuring device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a tubular measuring device which measures and dispenses material by the rotation of the tube in one direction only, as well as by rotation 180.degree., then counter rotation 180.degree. back in the reverse direction.
It is a further object to provide a measuring and dispensing device which operates with dry free flowing material as well as with liquids.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description as follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.